Historic Bridges in Minnesota

1,035 bridges built before 1951 in Minnesota still in service today.

Bridges Built Before 1951

The United States has 1,035 bridges in Minnesota built before 1951 that remain in active service. These structures are 75+ years old — many predate modern engineering codes and were not designed for today's traffic volumes and vehicle weights. The average design life of a bridge is 50 years, making these aging structures a significant infrastructure concern.

Clear
Bridge State Condition Year Built Age (Years) ADT
STREAM Minnesota Good 1940 86 77
RICE CREEK Minnesota Fair 1940 86 152
MARBLE CREEK Minnesota Fair 1940 86 156
PERCH CREEK Minnesota Fair 1940 86 142
PERCH CREEK Minnesota Poor 1940 86 305
MINNEOPA CREEK Minnesota Fair 1940 86 599
BUFFALO CREEK Minnesota Poor 1940 86 953
N FK CROW RIVER Minnesota Fair 1940 86 1,050
SPUNK CREEK Minnesota Fair 1940 86 280
STREAM Minnesota Good 1940 86 880
GETCHELL CREEK Minnesota Fair 1940 86 780
CHETAMBA CREEK (JD #7) Minnesota Fair 1940 86 1,450
JUD DITCH # 1 Minnesota Fair 1940 86 1,000
CHETAMBA CREEK Minnesota Good 1940 86 60
RICEFORD CREEK Minnesota Fair 1940 86 60
COLD CREEK Minnesota Fair 1940 86 530
STREAM Minnesota Fair 1940 86 385
HIGH ISLAND CREEK Minnesota Poor 1940 86 64
TWO RIVERS Minnesota Fair 1940 86 70
BITTER CREEK Minnesota Fair 1940 86 1,000
STREAM Minnesota Good 1940 86 40
STREAM Minnesota Poor 1940 86 37
TURTLE CREEK Minnesota Good 1940 86 15
TAMARACK RIVER Minnesota Poor 1940 86 180
BASSETT CREEK Minnesota Good 1940 86 1,949
ST JAMES CREEK Minnesota Fair 1941 85 1,500
GRINDSTONE RIVER Minnesota Fair 1941 85 2,713
MISS RVR RR STREETS Minnesota Fair 1941 85 4,905
MISSISSIPPI RIVER Minnesota Fair 1941 85 14,200
ENCAMPMENT RIVER Minnesota Good 1941 85 4,763
CLEARWATER RIVER Minnesota Fair 1941 85 4,600
S FK WHITEWATER RIVER Minnesota Poor 1941 85 1,785
WATONWAN RIVER Minnesota Good 1941 85 15
N FK CROW RIVER Minnesota Fair 1941 85 3,710
SPELTZ CREEK Minnesota Fair 1941 85 350
WATONWAN RIVER Minnesota Fair 1941 85 1,300
HIGH ISLAND CREEK Minnesota Fair 1941 85 1,165
ST JAMES CREEK Minnesota Fair 1941 85 2,200
COTTONWOOD RIVER Minnesota Fair 1941 85 2,597
EIGHTEEN MILE CREEK Minnesota Fair 1941 85 1,099
LITTLE CANNON RIVER Minnesota Fair 1941 85 1,936
BIG CANNON RIVER Minnesota Fair 1941 85 1,936
BRUSH CREEK Minnesota Fair 1941 85 590
JACK CREEK Minnesota Fair 1941 85 40
BEAR RIVER Minnesota Fair 1941 85 365
DEMPSEY CREEK Minnesota Fair 1941 85 300
WATERCRESS CREEK Minnesota Fair 1941 85 15
DITCH Minnesota Fair 1941 85 120
TROUT RUN Minnesota Fair 1941 85 1,184
HIGHWATER CREEK Minnesota Good 1941 85 127

About Historic Bridge Data

Bridges built before 1951 are classified as historic in this database. Many were designed to 1940s standards with lower load limits and narrower lanes. While FHWA requires regular inspections of all bridges regardless of age, older structures often require more frequent monitoring and rehabilitation investment.